1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an ink jet liquid composition, a set by using the above-described liquid composition, a liquid cartridge, and an ink jet recording method.
2. Description of the Related Art
In the case where recording on a recording medium is performed while a pigment ink is used, the reflected light intensity of a recording region having a pigment layer formed through accumulation of pigments is different from that of a non-recording region not having a pigment layer and, thereby, gloss unevenness occurs in an image. In particular, this gloss unevenness occurs remarkably with respect to a recording medium, e.g., glossy paper, having high surface smoothness.
In order to solve this, methods in which recording is performed by using a set of a liquid composition not containing a coloring material and a pigment ink have been proposed previously (refer to Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2001-039006 and Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2006-272934). Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2001-039006 discloses an invention in which an image is formed by a pigment ink and, thereafter, a topcoat is applied all over the recording surface of a recording medium by spraying a liquid composition containing a polymer emulsion. It is disclosed that the reflected light intensity is thereby leveled all over the recording surface of the recording medium and the glossiness of the image is improved. Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2006-272934 discloses an invention in which in recording by using a liquid composition containing a polymer-dispersing pigment ink and an urethane polymer emulsion, the amount of ejection of the liquid composition is adjusted in such a way that the amount of application of the polymer (total amount of dispersing polymer and urethane polymer) per unit area becomes uniform. It is disclosed that a polymer layer is formed thereby in a non-recording region not having a pigment layer, a difference in reflected light intensity between the recording region having a pigment layer and the non-recording layer not having a pigment layer is reduced, and the gloss property and the gloss evenness of the image are improved.